Just Another Night
by Shirl
Summary: COMPLETED-Carter and Lucy spend New Year's Eve together (set in Season 5)
1. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from ER. They are the property of Warner Brothers, etc. All other characters are my own creation. 

Author's Note: This is the first fanfic I ever wrote, and it features John Carter and Lucy Knight. The setting is back in Season 5 when Lucy was a third-year medical student. I didn't faithfully watch the show back then, so you may find some things in this fanfic that are inconsistent with what happened in the show. 

You are welcome to download this story for your own reading, but please do not archive it on any website without my permission. 

TITLE: Just Another Night Part One 

~~~~~~~~~~ 

Lucy Knight jerked awake, and for a moment she was disoriented. She first thought she was in her dorm room, but as her eyes adjusted to the dim light she could make out the shape of the I.V. stand by her shoulder. She wasn't in her dorm, of course. She had fallen asleep on one of the beds in Exam Room 2. She contemplated going back to sleep but decided against it. She was awake now so she might as well get up. Besides, she really had to use the washroom. 

Yawning, Lucy stepped out into the hallway. She immediately got a sense that something wasn't right. What was it? After taking a few steps, she realized what was wrong. It was too quiet. She had grown accustomed to the hustle and bustle of the ER and now it just seemed...dead. 

Jerry looked up from the computer. "Lucy, you're up already. I thought you wanted to be woken up at seven," he said, glancing at the clock. 

Lucy looked at her watch. It was 6:33 so she'd only been asleep for about half an hour. "I know. I just woke up on my own," she said, walking to the admitting desk. A couple of nurses were doing paperwork at the desk, but other than that the place looked deserted. "Where is everyone?" she asked. 

"In the lounge," Jerry said, leaning back in his chair. He placed his hands behind his head and yawned. Lucy went up to the board and found only one space filled in. Dr. Doug Ross was in Exam 1. 

"That's it?" Her voice was incredulous. "One patient?" 

"Yup," Jerry replied, grinning. "Hard to believe, isn't it." 

"I'll say. I've never seen the ER this quiet before. It feels really weird." She turned to look outside and groaned at the sight of falling snow. "It's *still* snowing? When is it going to stop?" 

"Yeah, it's been like this all day. Only a few inches were supposed to fall, but at this rate it'll be more like a few feet," Jerry said, closing his eyes and massaging the back of his neck. 

Lucy sighed and started walking away. Her glance fell on the computer screen and she stopped short. Was she seeing things or were those women missing their clothes? 

"Jerry, what is that?" she asked, stifling a laugh. 

His eyes flew open and he quickly turned off the monitor. "I just, uh...came across that accidentally. You know, when I was surfing the net," he said lamely. He smiled rather sheepishly when Lucy rolled her eyes at him. "Ok, I was bored. So sue me. I haven't had anything to do for the past hour." 

Lucy laughed and shook her head. She finally headed towards the washroom. 

*************** 

"What's this? I didn't know about that rule!" Elizabeth Corday exclaimed, her brow furrowed with annoyance. 

John Carter smiled smugly at her, holding a black checker in his hand. They were in the doctors' lounge playing a round of checkers. He had no idea who had brought the game in. It probably had been used to keep some kids in the waiting room busy and somehow had ended up in here. He hadn't played the game since about sixth grade, and Elizabeth had never played at all. Since they had some free time, he was teaching her the game. 

"You could have jumped me here," he explained again, pointing to a square on the board. "But you didn't, so I get to take your man." 

"Is that true, Mark?" Elizabeth asked. 

"What, you don't believe me?" Carter said, raising his eyebrows and pretending to look hurt. 

Elizabeth ignored him. Mark Greene looked up from where he was writing some notes. "Sorry, what's going on?" he asked. As Elizabeth explained the situation, Mark took off his glasses, rubbing at his eyes. He placed them back on and blinked. "Well, some people play that way," he said after a moment. "But you should establish those rules first, before you start playing. That's the only fair way to do it." 

Elizabeth smiled sweetly at Carter and grabbed the black checker out of his hand. "I'll take that back, thank you very much." She placed it back on the board as Carter laughed. Her competitiveness was showing, even in this simple game. 

The lounge door swung open and Lucy walked in. "So this is where everyone's hiding." Grabbing a can of gingerale from the refrigerator, she said "I can't believe how quiet it is out there. How long has it been like that?" 

"The past hour or so," Mark replied. He stretched out his long legs and looked out the window at the swirling snow. "Probably the combination of this unexpected storm and the fact that it's New Year's Eve." 

"Hmmm." Lucy watched in amusement as Carter and Dr. Corday continued their game. She studied Carter's profile as she sipped her drink and wished he weren't so handsome. It would make her life much easier if she didn't have such a crush on him. While he sometimes annoyed her to no end, she couldn't deny that she found him attractive. *Maybe he'll grow a big wart on his nose and shatter that perfect profile* The thought made her smile. 

Carter chose that moment to glance over at Lucy and caught her smirking at him. "What's so funny?" he asked. 

"Nothing." Her blue eyes were wide and innocent. 

He opened his mouth to say something but was distracted by the sound of a checker smacking the board three times. He whipped his head around to find Elizabeth happily plucking three of his red checkers from the board. "Hey!" he exclaimed, staring at the pieces and trying to figure out where he had made the wrong move. 

"I'm starting to like this game," Elizabeth said with a chuckle, brushing a stray lock of curly hair out of her eyes. "You're a great teacher, Carter...even though you tried to cheat." 

"I did *not* try to cheat." 

"Yes you did, Carter," Mark said, without even taking his eyes off his notes. 

Carter gave an embarrassed laugh and raised both hands in the air. "Ok, I give up. You win, Dr. Corday. You have more men left than me." 

The lounge door swung open again and this time Carol Hathaway entered. She headed straight for the coffeemaker, glancing at the checker board as she walked by. 

"Who's winning?" she asked, searching for a clean mug. 

"It appears I just won," Elizabeth said, as she started to clear away the game. 

"Even though Dr. Carter tried to cheat," Lucy couldn't resist adding. 

Carter shot her a dirty look as the others laughed. 

"Any problems with that baby, Carol?" Mark asked, referring to their one and only patient. 

"No, it was just a minor ear infection. Parents were a little over-anxious because it's their first child." Carol sat down next to Lucy with a small sigh. 

"Rough day?" Lucy asked sympathetically. 

"No, not really. I'm just tired. I think I'm coming down with something." Carol took slow sips of her coffee. "I need this if I'm going to stay awake until midnight tonight." 

"Are you and Dr. Ross going anywhere?" 

Carol gave a short laugh. "Yeah, straight home. I think we'll just get under the covers and watch the ball drop on TV. Hopefully I'll manage to stay awake." She looked over at Lucy. "How about you? Any plans for tonight?" 

"I'll probably get together with some friends from my dorm. There's some club that they want to go to. I don't usually like clubs, but I guess it could be fun on New Year's Eve." 

"I'm going to a club too, with a friend of mine," Elizabeth said. "It's just a block away from here. I found it a couple of days ago and bought tickets for tonight." 

"I didn't know you're into clubs," Carol said, sniffling. She sneezed, almost spilling the coffee down the front of her uniform. 

There was a chorus of "Bless you" and Elizabeth continued. "Well, it's more of a restaurant that has a small dance floor and a jazz band. I'm sure it won't be nearly as rowdy as the one Lucy is going to." 

Lucy smiled at her and looked over at Carter. He had started going through some patient charts. She wondered what he was doing tonight and was pretty sure it would involve Roxanne, his girlfriend. "How about you, Dr. Carter?" she asked. 

"Huh?" He looked puzzled for a moment. "Oh, I'm going to some fancy dinner with Roxanne." His tone of voice and expression indicated he was less than thrilled. Lucy's curiosity was piqued but she wisely held her tongue. 

"Hey, it's seven o'clock," Doug Ross announced as he entered the lounge with a wide grin. "Time to go home." 

"Only for you and Carol," Mark said, finally finishing off his notes. He tossed his pen down. "The rest of us have a while to go yet." 

Doug came around the back of the couch and Carol sighed in appreciation as he started massaging her neck and shoulders. "What made you volunteer for the graveyard shift?" he asked Mark. "You didn't have to do that." 

Mark shrugged. "I had no plans. New Year's Eve never meant much to me anyway. It's just another night." 

Jerry stuck his head in. "Trauma's coming in. Gunshot wound to the chest." 

"I knew this was too good to last," Mark said as he got to his feet. "How long, Jerry?" 

"Two minutes." 

Everyone sprang into action then, and Doug asked "You want me to stick around?" 

Mark shook his head. "No, we'll be ok. I've got Elizabeth and Carter. Benton should be here any minute. Go on home." 

"Want me to call the OR for you?" Carol offered. 

"Yeah, thanks Carol. Happy New Year, guys." Mark hurried out of the room. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

The rest of Lucy's shift was fairly uneventful. The gunshot victim had been stabilized and whisked away to the OR. Three people involved in a minor car accident had been treated and released. It was finally time to leave and she bundled up, regretting that she had left her hat at home. She had wanted to wish Carter a Happy New Year before she left, but he seemed to have disappeared. 

Lucy walked towards the admitting area. "Jerry, have you seen Dr. Carter?" she asked. 

Jerry shook his head. "Nope, haven't seen him. I hope you don't take the northbound El." 

"Actually, I do. Why?" As she spoke, she followed Jerry's gaze up to the television screen. 

"The train went off the track. It could've been a lost worse, but only a few people were injured." 

Lucy watched the special news bulletin, now showing a reporter at the scene of the derailment. He was explaining that officials weren't sure when the train would be in service again. 

Jerry finally took his eyes off the screen and looked down at her. "So what are you going to do?" 

"I don't know. I could ask my roommate to pick me up, but I don't want her to drive in this weather. I don't feel like walking in it either..." On a normal day she could walk back to her dorm in about half an hour, but not on a night like this. Lucy was at a loss. As much as she loved it in the ER, she had been looking forward to ringing in the new year with friends. She could only hope that the train would be running again soon, but it seemed doubtful. There were only three more hours to go until midnight. 

"There he is," Jerry said and Lucy swung around to find Carter striding towards them. He had just gotten off the elevator. 

Carter looked from Jerry to Lucy, noticing she looked upset. "Did I miss something?" 

"Yeah, the northbound train was derailed so Lucy's stuck here," Jerry explained. 

"You're kidding! Anyone hurt?" 

"A few people were taken to Mercy, but nothing serious. They think some ice formed on the tracks." 

Lucy began unbuttoning her coat. "I think I'll just wait around for a while. Maybe it'll be fixed soon." She was trying to remain optimistic, but Carter crushed her hopes with his next words. 

"I doubt it. They'll have to fully investigate what happened before they even try to get the train back on track. Probably won't happen until tomorrow morning." 

"Oh..." Lucy bit her lip, mentally running through a list of people she could possibly call to come and pick her up. Unfortunately the list was pretty short since most of her friends didn't have a car. Carter's voice interrupted her thoughts. 

"Hey, I could give you a ride. I'm just about to leave." 

"No, that's ok," Lucy said, though she was secretly pleased by his offer. "You live in the other direction." 

"It's not a problem. I'm picking up Roxanne and she lives out that way." Carter started backing away. "Just give me a minute to get my coat." As he turned towards the lounge he heard Lucy calling out thank you, and he raised his hand. 

The lounge was empty and Carter stood stupidly in front of his locker for several moments, just staring at it. Why had he done that? Why had he offered Lucy a ride? He knew the answer, or thought he did, and didn't want to admit it. *Don't just stand here, get moving* he thought, annoyed with himself. He shrugged out of his lab coat and opened his locker. Although Roxanne lived in the north end of the city, it was still fairly out of his way to drive Lucy back to her dorm. In fact, he could have left a half hour ago but instead had checked on a psych patient he'd seen earlier in the day. It was obvious that he was stalling and not looking forward to going out with Roxanne tonight. He gazed at his reflection in the locker mirror, his brown eyes looking back at him accusingly. "What is wrong with you?" he questioned himself out loud. 

"Talking to yourself, Carter?" 

Carter almost dropped his coat and turned to see Peter Benton watching him with an amused expression on his face. "Dr. Benton! I didn't hear you come in." Considering how slowly he'd been moving before, he now got ready to go with amazing speed. 

"Obviously," Peter said dryly, moving to the desk with several textbooks under his arm. "So you were saying...?" 

"Uh, nothing." As Carter got his bag together, he racked his brain trying to think of something to say. "Did you hear about the El?" 

Peter went to the coffeemaker, only to find the pot empty. "Damn. Yeah, I heard. What a mess. Amazing more people weren't hurt." 

Carter nodded. He was standing there with scarf, hat and coat on, bag in hand and ready to leave. Yet he found himself watching Dr. Benton make coffee and hoping to continue the conversation. "So you don't mind working New Year's Eve?" he asked. 

"Carter, don't you have somewhere to go tonight?" 

"Yeah, dinner with Roxanne. So you don't mind?" 

"No, I don't mind. It's just another night." 

"Funny, Dr. Greene said the exact same thing." Carter paused and Dr. Benton remained silent, so apparently their chat was over. "Well, guess I should get going. Happy New Year, Dr. Benton." 

"Yeah, same to you Carter." As Carter left, Peter shook his head, wondering what that had been all about. 

Lucy was laughing at something Jerry had said, and she finally saw Carter emerge from the lounge. "Well, that was a long minute," she commented. She noticed that he looked rather distracted and for some reason wasn't meeting her eyes. 

"Sorry, I was talking to Dr. Benton. Shall we go?" 

"Sure." They said goodnight to everyone and headed towards the parking garage. Lucy chattered about her day and for once, Carter was glad she was so talkative. He was happy for the distraction and at the same time felt somewhat guilty for driving her home. If he had left when he'd had the chance, he would have been at Roxanne's by now. 

They reached his Jeep and he threw his bag on to the backseat. As Lucy buckled her seat belt, Carter turned the ignition key. Nothing. He frowned and tried again. Still nothing. "Come on," he muttered, slapping the steering wheel with the palm of his hand. He closed his eyes and said a silent prayer, turning the key for a third time. "Damnit!" 

Lucy looked at him with inquiring eyes. "The battery's dead?" she guessed. 

"Looks like it. I was thinking of getting it replaced soon, but it was fine this..." Carter's voice trailed off and he groaned. 

"What?" 

He gestured towards the headlight switch. "I left the lights on all day. The battery was already weak, so this must have totally drained it. Stupid." He contemplated calling road service to try to jump start the battery but he knew they must be busy with this storm. It would take ages for them to arrive. 

"Maybe you can get a boost from someone in the ER," Lucy suggested, trying to think of people who drove to work. "Dr. Greene?" 

"He didn't drive today. I overheard him saying he was glad he took the El in with this weather." Carter sighed and gave Lucy an apologetic look. "I'm really sorry." 

"It's ok. It could happen to anyone." 

"Roxanne!" Carter exclaimed suddenly, twisting around to reach for his bag. "She can come and pick us up." He found the cellular phone and started dialing her number. 

"Um, I don't think she's going to be too happy about taking me home," Lucy said hesitantly. In fact, she was sure of it. But Carter made a face signifying "don't worry about it". 

*This should be interesting* Lucy thought, sitting back and wondering if Roxanne's reaction would be as she anticipated. 

"Hi Rox, it's me," Carter began. He started explaining the situation about the El and his car. Although she couldn't make out the words, Lucy could faintly hear Roxanne's voice. Carter continued, "So I've got Lucy in the car with me and was hoping..." He winced and held the phone slightly away from his ear. Lucy raised an eyebrow and tried to pretend she wasn't really paying attention. She could definitely hear the volume of Roxanne's voice going up. Now Carter began explaining why Lucy was with him and the reason for his call. With his free hand he started rubbing his temple as if a major headache was coming on. "No, Roxanne. You can't do that and just leave her here..." 

Lucy leaned towards him and quietly said, "Look, I don't want to be any trouble." 

Carter briefly glanced at her, shaking his head. He spoke into the phone through clenched teeth. "That's not the point. I offered her a ride so she's coming with us." Carter silently listened to Roxanne's tirade and then said, "Well, I'm sorry you feel that way. We'll talk about this later. Ok? Roxanne?" He shut the phone off. "She hung up." 

Lucy felt awful and she spoke quickly. "Just call her back and tell her she doesn't have to drive me home. Really, I don't mind. I'll just go back down to the ER." She stopped when she realized he wasn't listening. He was staring into space and suddenly burst out laughing. Lucy gazed at him in bewilderment, her eyes widening. "Uh...are you all right?" she asked with some concern. 

Carter took a moment to compose himself before replying. "Yeah," he finally said, grinning. "I'm fine. In fact, this is the best I've felt all day." 

"Oh?" 

Carter looked over at Lucy and almost started laughing again at the expression on her face. Her mouth was open and her eyes were round with confusion. "It's kind of complicated," he said, not wanting to go into details. 

"So what's going on? Is she coming to pick you up?" Lucy asked. 

"Nope. She called off dinner. So it looks like we both might be stuck here for a while." 

Carter stated this fact rather cheerfully but Lucy still felt guilty. 

"I'm sorry. You shouldn't have insisted that she pick me up too." 

"You don't have to apologize. It's not your fault." Carter could see that Lucy wasn't convinced and he reached out to touch her shoulder reassuringly. "Really, Luce." He used his affectionate nickname for her. "To be honest, I'm kind of relieved. I wasn't looking forward to this dinner." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he regretted them. He really shouldn't be discussing this with Lucy. 

Lucy remembered his rather lackluster response back in the lounge when she had asked him about tonight's plans. Again, she was curious about the reason but didn't ask. Although Carter was friendly, he was pretty quiet about his personal life. She figured he preferred it that way, and she had to curb her naturally inquisitive nature. As his medical student, however, she didn't use the same restraint. She knew she sometimes annoyed him with her constant questions, but she couldn't help it. She found the medical world fascinating and wanted to learn everything about it. 

Carter still had his hand on Lucy's shoulder, and she found herself wishing she could feel it through her heavy winter coat. *Ugh, snap out of it, Lucy!* she reprimanded herself. For once, she found herself at a loss for words and she struggled to find something to say. 

Carter broke the moment by removing the keys from the ignition and saying, "Well, we might as well go back. Just sitting here isn't doing us any good." 

As they waited for the elevator, Lucy's stomach made an unladylike grumble and they both laughed. 

"I'm hungry too," Carter said. "Want to grab some dinner at Doc Magoo's?" 

"Sure," Lucy replied. 

They made their way back to the ER and passed Lydia in the hallway. She was restocking some supplies and looked at them in surprise. "Didn't I just say goodbye to you two?" 

"You know how dedicated we are," Carter said, removing his hat and stuffing it in his coat pocket. "We just couldn't tear ourselves away." 

"Yeah, right." Lydia chuckled. "What's the real story?" 

"His car won't start," Lucy said. "We were hoping someone could help jump start the battery. Know anyone who drove today?" 

After thinking for a moment, Lydia said "Peter did. He was saying that the roads were getting pretty bad driving in. But he just went up to surgery." She continued stacking boxes and suggested, "You should talk to Jerry. He knows everyone." 

They went to the admitting desk next but Jerry had gone on a break. Obviously things were still slow. Elizabeth was on the phone with someone and Lucy said, "That reminds me. I better call my roommate and tell her to leave without me. I don't think I'll be joining them tonight." 

"Where were you going?" Carter asked. 

Lucy shrugged. "I don't know. Some club my friends like." She gave Carter a playful look. "Do you dance, Dr. Carter?" 

"Uh uh," he said with a shake of his head. "I'm a terrible dancer." 

"Oh, come on," Lucy teased. "I'll bet you're great." 

Elizabeth got off the phone and stood up, seeing Lucy and Carter for the first time. "Well, I would have thought you two were long gone," she said, reaching for her coat draped over a nearby chair. She paused and gave them a questioning glance. "Unless you're stuck because of the El." 

"Lucy is," Carter said. "I was going to give her a ride but my car won't start." 

"Oh, that's a shame," Elizabeth said in a sympathetic tone. "I wish I could help but I'm just on my way out. Luckily I take the southbound El. What are you going to do?" 

Carter took a breath and said, "I guess we'll have some dinner, for now. Then...we'll see what happens." 

"Well, best of luck," Elizabeth said as she slung her purse over her shoulder. She turned to leave but then stopped. "Where are you having dinner?" she asked. 

Carter and Lucy exchanged glances, thinking it was a strange question. 

"Doc Magoo's," Lucy replied. 

"No you're not." Elizabeth started to rummage around in her purse. "That was my friend Sara on the phone. I was going to go with her to Charlie's Place...that club I told you about, Lucy. But she's taken ill so we're not going. Aha!" she said triumphantly, withdrawing two orange tickets and holding them out. "I'm going to Sara's flat now to keep her company. I would rather you use the tickets than see them go to waste." She looked from Carter to Lucy, seeing their hesitation. "Please take them. It's not far from here and it will be a nice dinner." 

"I suppose it's better than a greasy cheeseburger and fries," Lucy said, looking up at Carter hopefully. 

"All right," he said at last, taking the tickets. "Thank you, Dr. Corday." 

"Yes, thank you so much," Lucy said. She liked Doc Magoo's, especially the friendly atmosphere but their menu was somewhat limited. It was strictly diner food. She found herself looking forward to having a nice meal with Carter. She recalled Dr. Corday mentioning a dance floor and she pictured the two of them dancing closely...She stopped herself before her imagination ran wild. *It's just dinner* she thought. *We'll eat and then come back here to get help with his car*. 

Elizabeth gave them directions on how to get to Charlie's Place. They thanked her once more and Lucy was so eager to get going, she forgot to call her roommate until Carter reminded her. Feeling rather foolish, she told herself to calm down and made the phone call from the front desk. By the time she had finished, Jerry still hadn't returned. They debated on whether they should wait a little longer or go straight to the restaurant. Their mutual hunger won out and they braced themselves for the stormy night. 

Lucy put her mittens on and Carter started to pull on his hat, glancing down at her dark blond head. "Where's your hat? Your ears are gonna freeze." 

"I know. It's at home. It wasn't like this when I left this morning," she said, gesturing at the swirling snow outside. 

Carter paused and then tugged his grey knit cap down over her head. It fit quite snugly and Lucy brushed wisps of hair out of her eyes. "What are you doing?" she asked, her voice tinged with amusement. 

"I can't have my favourite med student walking around with frostbitten ears," Carter replied with a smile. Lucy laughed, knowing that he was only teasing but still feeling a sudden flash of warmth. "Ready?" he said, turning up the collar of his coat. Lucy nodded and they ventured out into the storm. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"Would you care for some more wine?" the waitress asked. Lucy tore her eyes away from a couple at a nearby table that she'd been watching. 

"Um..." she hesitated, tempted but not sure if she should have another glass. She had already consumed two and anything more usually made her pretty tipsy. "No, I'd better not." 

"Perhaps your boyfriend would like some," the waitress suggested, looking at Carter's empty glass. He had just left to use the men's room. 

Lucy found herself blushing and she knew it wasn't the effects of the wine. "He's not my boyfriend," she murmured. "He's...I don't know if he wants more." 

The waitress moved to another table and Lucy sighed, almost in relief. Of course the woman would assume Carter was her boyfriend since they were here on New Year's Eve. Here in this intimate little jazz club bathed in soft candlelight. Dinner had been buffet style with roast beef, rich gravy, and all the trimmings to go with it. She and Carter had devoured the delicious food and some complimentary wine. 

She now looked around the room with interest. Earlier, she had been so intent on eating that she hadn't paid much attention to her surroundings. The room was small so although there weren't a lot of people, the place looked more crowded than it really was. Most of the tables were occupied but Lucy spotted a few that were empty. Probably a result of the storm tonight. She judged most of the people to be in their thirties, though there were a few older couples too. It appeared that she was the youngest one here. There was a live band in one corner as well as a singer. She was a tall, exotic looking black woman with a lovely, slightly smokey voice. Lucy wasn't a big fan of jazz so she didn't recognize any of the songs, but she was enjoying the mellow music. She thought the singer was beautiful and wished her own looks were more exotic. She was more of a plain jane, girl-next-door type. Oh well, looks weren't important anyway and there was no use dwelling on something she couldn't change. 

She turned once more to the young couple that had caught her attention earlier. They were talking softly to each other and holding hands across the table. Lucy imagined that they were completely in love. They certainly seemed oblivious to everything going on around them and only had eyes for each other. 

"Hey..." Carter said, taking his seat and noticing Lucy's dreamy smile. "What are you smiling at?" 

"Oh, was I?" Lucy tilted her head towards the couple, who were now laughing quietly. "I was just watching them. They look like they're so much in love." 

Carter looked over at them. "That they do," he agreed. 

"So are you in love with Roxanne?" 

*Oops. Did I say that out loud?* Lucy thought with some alarm. She looked at Carter and found him staring at her with a fierce frown on his face. *I can't believe I said that! The wine must be affecting me more than I thought* 

"That's none of your business, Lucy," Carter said evenly, his voice tight. 

"I know, I'm sorry," Lucy apologized quickly, silently berating herself. Here the evening had been going so well and she had to ruin it with her loose tongue. "Don't be angry." 

Lucy looked at him with sorrowful eyes and Carter finally shook his head. "I'm not angry. Forget it, Luce." He fiddled with his wine glass and started looking around the room. "I need another drink," he muttered, signalling the waitress over. She poured him another glass and he took a big gulp. What was this now, his fourth one? He had been feeling very relaxed and pretty good overall, until Lucy had dropped that bombshell of a question on him. He probably shouldn't have snapped at her since it was a legitimate question and one he'd been asking himself recently. 

In the past week or so, Roxanne had started using those three little words that scared the hell out of him: "I love you". She had first uttered them in...how to put it delicately...a passionate moment, and he had responded with "I love you too". But did he really? He was having his doubts lately. Just the other night he had come up with some lame excuse in order to avoid seeing her. And tonight he'd been practically ecstatic when Roxanne had angrily cancelled dinner plans. He had initially told himself it was because he didn't enjoy fancy, black-tie events. It had been Roxanne's idea of course, and personally he found those things boring and pretentious. But if he was honest with himself, it was the fact that he wouldn't have to see Roxanne tonight that had made him feel so happy. 

*Damn!* Carter thought, as the reality hit him full force. Considering his past failed relationships, he had so wanted this one to work. But he now realized that he didn't love Roxanne and their relationship was over. And who did he have to thank for allowing him to come to this stunning conclusion? Lucy, with her one innocent question. 

Carter felt as if a great weight had been lifted off his chest. He had been feeling out of sorts for the past few days and now knew why. He still had the unpleasant task of telling Roxanne it was over between them, but he would think about that later. 

"Maybe we should start heading back," Lucy said meekly. 

Carter finished off his drink and looked at his watch. "Why? We've only got an hour to go until midnight. We might as well celebrate here." 

Lucy couldn't hide her surprise. "You want to stay? After what I said?" 

Carter smiled, starting to experience a very pleasant buzz. It was a combination of the wine and the unexpected feeling of freedom. "Actually, I have to thank you." 

Lucy narrowed her eyes and looked at him skeptically. "I think you've had too much to drink," she stated. 

Carter chuckled and said emphatically, "No really. Thanks to you, I realize that things aren't right between Roxanne and me. Well, more than not right. It's over." 

"Over," Lucy echoed in a shocked tone. "Because of what I said?" 

"Well, in part. Your question just started me thinking and...I guess I finally admitted to myself what I've known for a while now." He ran both hands through his hair and briefly wondered why he was spilling his guts to Lucy. It wasn't like him to be so open with someone but he found her easy to talk to. And a surprisingly good listener. She was silent now, merely looking at him and waiting for him to continue. He suddenly felt self-conscious and cleared his throat. "So I wonder what we get for dessert." 

Lucy gave a small smile and looked over Carter's shoulder. "Looks like they're bringing it out now," she said, realizing he was uncomfortable. 

As they walked over to peruse the dessert selection, Lucy found herself lost in thought. She was still having a little trouble absorbing what had just occured. First she had thought she'd totally blown the evening by upsetting Carter. Then she had found out she'd inadvertently caused the end of his relationship with Roxanne. All because of a question she had never meant to say out loud. 

It was a strange set of circumstances that had brought them here tonight. If she allowed herself, her crush on Carter could develop into something more. At the hospital he tended to show his arrogant side to her, though he was always wonderful with the patients. But sometimes he displayed his vulnerability, as he had in the last few minutes. It was in those moments that her heart always melted. She had to continually remind herself that she was Carter's medical student and a relationship between them was impossible. Strictly against the rules. Besides which, this crush of hers was completely one-sided. He had never given an inkling that he was interested in her. At worst, he considered her an annoyance. At best, he regarded her as a little sister. 

Lucy was jolted out of her thoughts by a gentle nudge on the arm. 

"Come on, Luce. You're holding up the line," Carter said, a slice of strawberry shortcake in his hand. "Decide already." 

"Oh, sorry." Lucy quickly scanned her choices and selected a chocolate mousse. 

Back at the table they ate their desserts and talked easily with each other, laughing and bantering back and forth. They didn't even realize how close it was to midnight until noisemakers and streamers were being handed out. They also received glasses of champagne. 

Lucy picked up a green horn and blew on it noisily. 

Carter gave her an amused smile. "You're a little early." 

Lucy made a face at him. "Just testing." She checked her watch. "Three minutes to go." She looked around the room, feeling the air charged with excitement. The band had been taking a break, but they now returned to their places and the attractive singer approached the microphone. 

"Thank you for coming to Charlie's Place. We hope you're having a great time." She smiled at the crowd. "We invite you to stay well after midnight for more music and dancing. We'll be starting the countdown in just a couple of minutes." 

"I'm so glad we came here," Lucy said, glancing back at Carter. 

"Yeah, me too," he agreed, enjoying the look of happiness on her face. Her enthusiasm was contagious and he was begining to feel a growing anticipation for the New Year. 

The countdown began. "...5...4...3...2...1...Happy New Year!" 

Carter and Lucy blew their noisemakers and threw streamers at each other, laughing. They clinked their champagne glasses together and each took a sip. 

"Mmm. I love champagne." Lucy giggled. "The bubbles tickle." 

Carter impulsively stood and leaned forward on his elbows, murmuring "Happy New Year, Luce." He kissed her on the lips, tasting champagne and something intriguing. The taste of Lucy. *Oh my God* He drew back, opening his eyes to find her staring at him with her mouth slightly parted. He could read the confusion in her eyes and he tried to gather his own wits about him. What was he doing? *It's just one New Year's kiss* he thought. Except one kiss wasn't enough. Not nearly. He leaned in for another one, this one longer and more urgent. 

Lucy's heart was racing wildly and she couldn't think. All she could feel was Carter's warm lips on hers and she wished it would go on forever. Carter finally pulled away from her. Breathless, she gazed into his dark eyes and could see the conflicting emotions in them...changing from desire to regret. 

Carter sat back down in his chair with a dull thud, not even hearing everyone around him sing Auld Lang Syne. "I...I'm sorry," he stammered. "I shouldn't have done that." 

"I'm glad you did," Lucy said shyly. 

"I don't know what came over me," he said, as if she hadn't spoken. He was looking everywhere but at her. "Really, I'm so sorry." 

"John..." 

That caught his attention. It was the first time she had ever used his given name. He slowly dragged his gaze back to hers and was suddenly seeing Lucy in a new light. Had her bright blue eyes always been that beautiful? How could he have missed that? Or the sensual curve of her lip. He clasped his hands together nervously on the tablecloth. 

"I'm glad you kissed me," Lucy repeated softly. The crowd had quieted down now and the band was starting a new song. She recognized the opening strains of Unforgettable, one of her favourites. She remembered Carter stating that he didn't like to dance, but she stood up now and reached for his hand. "Dance with me?" she asked, half expecting an objection. But he took her hand and followed her to the dance floor as if in a trance. 

Other couples danced around them, and Carter held Lucy close. He marvelled at how she was a perfect fit in his arms. He dipped his head down and inhaled the clean scent of her hair. Roxanne had usually worn a cloying perfume and he found Lucy to be a refreshing change. 

"Oh boy," he muttered. He hadn't even broken up with Roxanne yet. And Lucy was his med student. They should not be doing this. 

Lucy tilted her head back to look up at him. "Did you say something?" 

"We shouldn't be doing this," he said. But he couldn't bring himself to stop either. 

"We're only dancing," Lucy said reasonably. She was trying to control the little butterflies in her stomach. They had been fluttering around ever since that first kiss. 

Carter nodded, trying to convince himself that this didn't mean anything. It was just a dance and just a kiss. *Two kisses* he reminded himself. It was just New Year's Eve and he had gotten caught up in the moment. That's all. That's what his head told him, but in his heart he knew it wasn't true. Things seemed so...right between them. It had never been this way with Roxanne. *Stop it! Stop comparing Roxanne with Lucy* He decided to stop thinking and just enjoy the dance. 

Lucy had her head nestled comfortably on Carter's shoulder as they swayed in time to the music. She was feeling a little giddy and knew it wasn't due to the wine. She was afraid that Carter's practical nature would take over soon and they would head back to the hospital. She didn't want this night to end. She was determined not to think about the future and would just enjoy the moment. 

The song ended all too soon and they parted reluctantly. 

Carter said slowly, "I think we better go back." 

It was just as Lucy had feared. "Ok," she said sadly. 

They gathered their things together, not saying a word. Lucy hated this awkwardness between them but she wasn't sure what to say. Carter was at a loss too and he put on his coat in silence. He reached into his pocket, feeling the soft knit of his cap. He pulled it out and placed it gently over Lucy's head. "Gotta keep you warm," he said with a small smile. 

Lucy looked up at him and she could feel tears gathering behind her eyes. She blinked them back furiously, not even sure why she suddenly wanted to cry. 

"Luce, I..." he started and paused. "I want you to know I really had a great time tonight. I don't have any regrets about...what happened." 

"You don't?" 

"No. But I'm not sure it should happen again. It's just...it's not the right time." He could see that she was upset but hoped she understood. 

Lucy nodded, biting her inner lip. "I know," she said, adding "but I'm glad it happened." 

"Me too," Carter said honestly. He put his arm around Lucy and kissed her on the cheek. "Let's go." 

They braced themselves for the cold wintery air and together, headed back to the ER. 


	2. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from ER. They are the property of Warner Brothers, etc. All other characters are my own creation. 

Author's Note: I apologize in advance if the medical information presented is inaccurate or unrealistic. That is entirely my own fault. 

You are welcome to download this story for your own reading, but please do not archive it on any website without my permission. 

TITLE: Just Another Night Part Two 

~~~~~~~~~~ 

The storm had abated to a light snowfall and the wind had died down. It had turned colder, however, and the chill seemed to go straight through to Lucy's bones. She shivered and tried to quicken her pace to match Carter's longer strides. He realized she was struggling through the deep snow and slowed down, taking her elbow to help steady her footing. Although the street had recently been plowed, the sidewalk hadn't yet been cleared. Carter thought it might be easier to walk on the street. There wasn't much traffic now. But he heard and saw the occasional car spinning its wheels and swerving off to the side. That indicated icy patches hidden under a light dusting of snow and he didn't want to risk slipping and falling. 

Neither of them spoke for the longest time. It was partly due to the raw coldness of the air. But mostly due to that awkwardness between them again. They had left the warmth and intimacy of Charlie's Place behind, and were plunged back into the real world once more. They now had about half a block to go before they reached the hospital. 

Slightly out of breath, Lucy asked "Are you going to ask Dr. Benton to help start your car?" 

"Yeah, if he's out of surgery. I'm glad I have the day off tomorrow," Carter replied, sounding a little tired. 

"You mean today," Lucy corrected. 

"Right. Today. New Year's Day." 

They lapsed back into silence and came to an intersection. Cook County General lay just around the corner, and Carter unconsciously began to walk faster, eager to get back to a warm place. As the light turned green, he stepped out into the street, not noticing that Lucy wasn't at his side. 

One of Lucy's boots felt loose, and she glanced down. The bootlace was untied and she called out, "Hold on a sec'. My lace came undone." As she started bending down to retie it, she saw Carter turn around. He paused for a moment and then began walking back towards her. A flash of headlights coming around the corner drew her attention and she froze. The car was moving way too fast and it suddenly veered out of control. Lucy's heart leapt into her throat and she finally found her voice. 

"John, look out!" she cried. 

Carter had started walking back to the curb when he saw the acute fear and alarm in Lucy's face. She was looking behind him and he swung around, blinded by the oncoming headlights. He heard her scream his name and tried desperately to scramble out of the way, knowing he wouldn't make it in time. Then he felt a strong push on his chest and he fell backwards. As he was falling, he saw the car strike Lucy with such force that her knapsack went flying through the air. Her head impacted the ground hard, and she rolled several times before coming to a stop. 

Carter landed on his butt with a jolt that jarred his teeth, and for a split second, he was frozen to the spot in horror. *This can't be happening!* He quickly came to his senses and shot to his feet, running to Lucy's prone form. 

"Lucy! Oh, God...Lucy!" His breath came out in harsh gasps and he knelt at her side, ripping off his gloves. He felt for a pulse at her neck and momentarily panicked when he couldn't find one. No, there it was. But it felt weak and thready. *Help...I gotta get help* Where was his phone? In his bag. He looked around, spotting it near where he'd fallen. He scuttled over to it, searching with clumsy fingers. He finally found it but then couldn't remember the number of the ER. *Damnit! Wait, I've got it programmed* He told himself to calm down or he wouldn't be of any good to Lucy. 

The phone rang. And rang. "Come on Jerry, pick up!" Carter said out loud, feeling his frustration mount. 

"ER..." 

"Jerry! Lucy's been hurt...hit by a car..." Carter looked down at her and noticed for the first time that one leg was bent at an unnatural angle. She was also missing a boot. "She has a possible head injury, broken leg, pulse is weak. Get a stretcher down here now!" 

Jerry had answered the phone rather sleepily but he sounded wide awake now, instantly recognizing Carter's voice. "Where are you?" 

Carter told him their location and turned when he heard a car door opening. In his concern for Lucy, he had forgotten all about the driver. The young man looked to be in his early twenties and he half stepped out of the car with one foot on the ground. 

Carter felt the blood rush to his head and he jabbed his finger towards the man. "You, you son of a ...no, not you Jerry. Stay right where you are," he called out to the dazed looking man. Into the phone he said, "Jerry, I want you to call the police and send some security. And tell them to hurry it up with the stretcher. It's freezing out here." 

Carter hung up and approached the man cautiously, noting his glazed eyes. His instinct told him this guy was drunk. The man was clutching the steering wheel with one hand and the door with the other, staring slack-jawed at Lucy's still figure. "Is she dead?" he whispered. 

"No, she's not dead," Carter snapped angrily, stepping closer. The man was breathing heavily and Carter could easily smell the alcohol from two feet away. Now that his suspicion was confirmed, he felt his anger soaring to new heights. The man had an open gash on his forehead. Although Carter would have dearly loved to throttle him, he found himself asking "Are you hurt anywhere else?" 

"Wha'?" 

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" Carter barked. "Your forehead's bleeding." 

The question finally sank in and the man shook his head, lightly touching the edge of his wound with his finger. "No..." 

"Too bad." Carter grabbed the guy by the front of his coat with one hand, hauling him out of the car. With his free hand he slammed the door shut. 

"Hey..." the man protested feebly, trying to loosen himself from Carter's choking grip. "What're you doin'?" 

"Making sure you don't make a run for it." The man was forced to stumble along behind Carter until they reached Lucy's side. Carter pushed him roughly into the snowdrift. "Stay there," he ordered. "And don't move." 

Carter positioned himself where he could attend to Lucy and keep an eye on the drunk. He didn't want to take any chance that the guy would drive off. He turned his attention back to Lucy and touched her cheek. It was so cold. "Luce, can you hear me?" There was no response and he was worried about the fact that she hadn't regained consciousness yet. She was lying facedown, with one cheek pressed against the snow. He wished he could put a scarf or something underneath to protect her face from the cold, but he didn't dare move her head in case of a spinal cord injury. For the same reason, he couldn't pick her up and carry her to the ER himself. 

"I found her boot and her bag." 

Carter jerked his head up. A middle-aged woman with kind eyes held out Lucy's knapsack and stray boot. "They were way over there," she continued, pointing behind her. She glanced down at Lucy, making sympathetic noises. "Poor thing. Will she be all right?" 

"Yeah," Carter said hoarsely, accepting Lucy's things. "She'll be fine." But the truth was, he didn't know if she'd be fine. He was scared. Maybe the most scared he had ever been in his life. But he pushed that emotion down where it couldn't reach him. He had to be able to think clearly. There was another emotion that was nagging at him and he belatedly recognized it was guilt. It was he that should have been struck by the car, not Lucy. She had pushed him out of the way, had sacrificed herself for him. *I'm sorry. Please God, let her be all right* He recalled how beautiful her eyes had looked in the candlelight at Charlie's Place, and he would give anything to see her open those eyes now. He stroked her cheek again, still so white and cold. *Come on Luce, wake up* 

He looked down the street. *What's taking so long? She'll freeze to death before they get here* In reality, he knew only a few minutes had passed since he'd called Jerry, but it seemed to be a lifetime. He took his coat off and gently placed it on top of her. 

"Oh, young man! You'll catch your death of cold!" the woman exclaimed. 

"I'm ok," Carter said. He thought he heard voices and turned his head. He leapt to his feet, seeing Dr. Benton, Dr. Greene, Lydia and Chuni running towards them with the stretcher. He waved them on. "Come on! Hurry!" Three burly security men were running behind them and he looked back at the drunk. He hadn't moved from his place on the snowdrift and continued to stare at Lucy as if in shock. 

Everyone's faces were grim as they set the stretcher down and got to work. 

"Watch her head," Carter warned. "She hit the ground pretty hard." He started to kneel down, wanting to help. But Peter stopped him, removing his coat from Lucy and placing it around Carter's shoulders. 

"You're shaking, Carter. Go back to the ER and get yourself warm." 

Was he shaking? He didn't even realize it. "I'm staying with Lucy." 

"Is this the guy?" one of the security men asked. Two of them were each holding one of the drunk's arms. It seemed that the third security officer wasn't needed. Even one would have been enough, since he wasn't putting up any resistance. 

"Yeah, that's him," Carter stated flatly. 

"Poor Lucy," Chuni murmured, shaking her head. 

Mark glanced at her. "Let's keep our focus," he said, not unkindly. 

Lucy was fitted with a neck brace and splint for her leg, before being placed on a back board. They worked together quickly and efficiently, only taking the time to ask Carter some pertinent questions like: how long ago did it happen, did she become conscious at any time, etc.. 

When they were ready, Mark said "Ok, people, we're going to move as fast and smooth as possible. Let's go!" 

As Carter started to run along after them, he barely heard the older woman calling out to him that he'd forgotten his bag. He thanked her, retrieving it from the snow and tried to catch up to the group. 

They burst through the doors of the ER and headed for the closest trauma room. Haleh had been waiting in the hallway for them, and she followed close behind. Carter was right at her heels, but he stopped short when Peter said, "Haleh, would you please escort Dr. Carter to the lounge." 

"What? But I want to help," Carter protested. 

"Have you been drinking tonight?" 

"Uh, yeah...a little..." He knew Dr. Benton was right, but that didn't make it any easier. "It's ok. I know where the lounge is." He stared after them as they entered the trauma room. With a heavy heart, he made his way to the lounge, relieved to find it empty. He stood motionless for several moments and then collapsed into a nearby chair. He was still clutching Lucy's lost items and he had to slowly unclench his fingers. He hadn't realized how tightly he'd been gripping them. He leaned forward, holding his head in both hands and rocking slightly back and forth. A continuous chant was running through his head *Please God, let her be ok* over and over again. Then a different thought intruded *It should have been me* A lump came to his throat and he fought the urge to cry. 

The sudden ringing of his cell phone caused Carter to jump. He reached for the phone in his bag. 

"Hello." 

"John? What's wrong? You sound funny." 

"Roxanne? I...look, this isn't a good time." 

"Why? What's going on?" she insisted. 

Carter sighed. "Lucy was hit by a car. She's in trauma...I really can't talk to you right now." 

Roxanne was silent for several seconds. "So it's still Lucy, is it?" she said softly. "I called to apologize and you're still going on about her." 

Carter was stunned by that remark. "Did you hear what I said?" He couldn't believe Roxanne's selfishness. "She was hit by a damned car! A drunk driver!" 

"Stop yelling at me." 

"I'm not yelling!" Carter stopped and lowered his voice as he realized he was indeed shouting. "Roxanne," he said clearly, "I cannot deal with you right now. I'm hanging up." 

"John, don't you dare..." 

He shut the phone off and hurled it across the room. The instant it left his hand he regretted his impulsive action. But the phone struck the back cushion of the couch, bounced a couple of times and landed harmlessly on the seat. While it had been a stupid thing to do, at least he had released some pent up tension. If he had previously had any doubts about breaking off his relationship with Roxanne, he certainly had none now. Her insensitivity and heartlessness appalled him. 

Jerry peeked his head in. "Dr. Carter, the police are here. They want to speak with you." 

Carter nodded. "Thanks Jerry. I'll be right there." He took a moment to calm himself down and left the lounge to meet with the police. It didn't take too long. The facts were pretty clear and the blood alcohol test showed the man was well over the legal limit. The cut on his forehead was being sutured right now, and then he would be taken to the police station by one of the officers. His partner wanted to wait around to see what Lucy's condition was. 

Carter showed him to the waiting area and then he returned to the lounge. He didn't feel like sitting anymore and started pacing around the room. He kept looking at his watch. It seemed to be taking a long time. What did that mean? He turned on the TV but immediately shut it off again. He went to the coffeemaker and poured himself a cup. But he left it sitting on the counter and started his pacing again. Agonizing minutes ticked by. 

"Carter?" 

He jumped, turning to find Mark entering the lounge with a reassuring smile on his face. 

"Oh, thank God!" Carter felt such immense relief that he found he had to sit down after all. He had been imagining the worst. Brain damage. Paralysis. 

Mark sat down beside him on the couch. "Yeah, she's going to be ok. Lots of bruising, some lacerations, a broken fibula and a minor concussion. No internal damage to her organs." He paused. "It's her hat that saved her." 

"What?" Carter thought he hadn't heard correctly. 

"Her hat," Mark repeated. "It's pretty thick wool, so it really absorbed a lot of the impact. I think her head must have struck some ice, so if it hadn't been for that hat, we would have been looking at a severe concussion and possibly worse." 

Carter once more thanked God for small miracles. "It was my hat. Lucy was just...borrowing it." 

"Is that right? Well, she'll have to thank you in the morning." 

Carter gave a short, humourless laugh. "It's me that has to thank Lucy. She saved me." 

Mark gave him a puzzled look. "How do you mean?" 

"The car was headed straight for me. I thought I was a goner. But somehow she pushed me out of the way and that's how she got hit." Carter briefly closed his eyes, replaying in his mind the image of seeing Lucy struck by the car. He knew he would never be able to forget it. 

Mark was impressed by Lucy's bravery. He patted Carter on the shoulder. "Well, sounds like you do owe her some thanks. And maybe a box of chocolates. A big one." 

That made Carter smile. "Is she still unconscious?" 

"No, she's awake now. Her leg is being set, then we'll admit her upstairs overnight for observation." Mark stood up. "She's asked for you a couple of times. You want to see her?" 

"Yes, definitely." Carter followed Mark out into the hallway and remembered the police officer in the waiting area. "Dr. Greene, one of the officers has been waiting to hear about Lucy's condition. He's in chairs." 

"Ok, I'll go talk to him. Lucy's in Exam 2." 

The door to the exam room was open and Carter hesitated in the doorway. Dr. Benton was setting the cast for Lucy's leg. Her bed was slightly inclined so she was sitting up, but her eyes were closed. One side of her face was badly swollen and the delicate skin was already starting to bruise. 

Peter spied him hovering by the open door. "Come in, Carter. I'm just about finished here." 

Lucy's eyes opened at the sound of his voice. Though her head was pounding and the rest of her was aching with pain, she managed a tiny smile for Carter's benefit. "Hey, Dr. Carter," she said weakly. 

"Hey yourself." He came closer to the bed, returning her smile. "How do you feel?" 

"Like I got trampled by a herd of elephants. I don't think the painkillers have kicked in yet." 

"We only gave you a mild dosage because of your concussion," Peter explained. He stood up, rolling his neck. "All done. Would you like me to call your mother?" 

"No," Lucy said quickly. "I don't want to scare her in the middle of the night. I'll call her in the morning." 

"Ok. Mark is taking care of the arrangements to have you admitted. They're expecting you on the third floor. Let's get you upstairs." Peter looked at Carter. "Would you care to do the honours?" 

"Sure," Carter replied, wanting to talk to Lucy alone for a few minutes. If she felt up to it. 

Peter turned to go and Lucy said, "Thanks for everything, Dr. Benton." 

He looked back at her. "No problem. Everyone's glad you're all right. Get a good night's sleep." 

Carter helped Lucy into a wheelchair and pushed her out into the hallway towards the elevator. As they went by, people stopped to wish her well, or give her a brief hug. She was obviously well liked in the ER. Lucy appreciated the attention, but her eyelids were growing heavier. She was starting to feel pretty groggy. The pain was fading a little so the drugs must have started taking effect. 

Once up on the third floor, a nurse showed them to her room. Carter hadn't been expecting a private room, but Dr. Greene must have asked for one. He could see that Lucy was exhausted so he wanted to get her in bed as quickly as possible. 

"Put your arms around my neck," Carter said, lifting her easily in his arms. He placed her down gently and arranged the covers around her. "Are you warm enough?" 

"Mmm hmm." Lucy nodded. 

"Are you sure? I could get you another blanket." 

"I'm fine. Really." 

Carter had hoped he would be able to talk with her, but now was not the time. "I'm gonna get going then. You need your rest." 

"Don't go, John...please. I don't want to be alone." 

"All right. Anything you say." Carter pulled a chair close to her side and sat down. He rested his arms on the bed. "I'll stay until you're asleep. How's that?" 

"Ok." It was dark in the room except for a small lamp on the table behind Carter. It cast his face in shadow and he looked so serious. "What are you thinking?" she asked. 

He didn't answer for a long time. Finally, he said slowly "I'm thinking you could have been killed. That I never would have forgiven myself. Never." He looked into her eyes. "It should have been me, Luce. Why did you do it?" 

Lucy knew he was asking why she had pushed him out of harm's way. Truthfully, everything had happened so fast and she had reacted without thinking. But she would do the same thing again in a heartbeat. She was struggling to keep awake now and barely managed to answer him. "I didn't want you to get hurt," she whispered. 

Carter didn't know what to say. He was touched by her selfless act, beyond any words he could express. He looked down at his hands for the longest time. When he finally glanced up at her again, her eyes were shut. She was fast asleep. 

Carter leaned forward and kissed her softly on the forehead, stroking her hair. "Thank you, Lucy," he murmured. He didn't want to leave her just yet, so he sat back in his chair and watched her sleep. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"I'm sorry, Carter. We did everything we could to save her, but her injuries were too severe. We tried for 38 minutes to resuscitate her, but...she died." 

Carter stared at Dr. Greene in disbelief. "Lucy's dead?" He backed away from Mark, shaking his head vehemently. I don't believe you!" 

"I'm sorry, Carter," Mark repeated sadly. "We all are." He stepped forward, reaching out to touch Carter's arm, but Carter knocked it away angrily. 

He wanted to scream "How could you let this happen? How could you let her die?" He wished he could strike out at Dr. Greene with his fists, but he just stood there, his hands clenched tightly at his sides. He suddenly started running and found himself in the abandoned trauma room. Lucy was lying there, looking so peaceful. Her skin was smooth and flawless, not a scratch on her. Taking shallow breaths, he slowly moved closer to her. It must be some mistake. She wasn't dead. She was just sleeping. Feeling the tiniest sliver of hope, he raised a trembling hand to her pale cheek. It was ice cold. 

"Nooo," he moaned, squeezing his eyes shut. 

"Dr. Carter..." 

"Uhh..." he mumbled. "Leave me alone." 

"Dr. Carter!" the voice insisted. 

Carter awoke with a start, almost falling off the chair. His mouth was dry and his neck ached. He must have fallen asleep in the chair. He looked up to see the same nurse that had shown them to the room earlier. Her name was Cindy. 

"I'm sorry to wake you. But you got a call from down in the ER," Cindy said quietly. "They want to see you." 

"Ok, thanks. Tell them I'll be right down." 

Carter rubbed the back of his neck, tilting it from side to side to work the kinks out. It had only been a dream...a nightmare. She was fine. He leaned in closer, watching the covers rise and fall in time with her rhythmic breathing. See, she's just sleeping. It was silly, but he had to be sure. He brushed his hand lightly against Lucy's cheek, visibly relaxing when it was warm to the touch. The dream had shaken him more than he cared to admit. He yawned, stretched and checked his watch. 2:30 am. He wasn't sure how long he'd been asleep. Maybe 45 minutes. He wondered what they wanted in the ER. 

********** 

"You really should get that cut sutured, Officer..." 

"Davidson. Adam Davidson." The man winced as Mark gently probed around the edge of the cut. "I'm fine. Damn!" he cursed. "I still can't believe I let this happen." 

"It's not your fault, Adam. I should have been there with you." Officer Bryan Jones looked at his partner with deep regret, knowing they were both in trouble. 

Mark glanced down the hallway and saw Carter coming towards them. "Here he comes now. I thought Dr. Carter should be apprised of the situation." 

Carter took in the scene before him with a frown. Officer Davidson was sitting in a chair in the hallway, holding an ice pack to the side of his face. Dr. Greene was kneeling beside him, examining a wound on his cheek. The other officer...what was his name...Jones, was looking at him with a guilty expression on his face. 

"What's going on?" Carter asked stiffly, sensing he wasn't going to like the answer. 

"Something's happened," Mark said hesitantly, rising to his feet. "I'll let Officer Davidson explain it to you." 

Carter looked down at the police officer expectantly, as the older man tried to stand up. He was a little wobbly on his feet, however, and Mark urged him to sit back down. 

"Well?" Carter said impatiently. He looked around the hallway, a sudden thought occurring to him. "Hey, where's..." He realized he didn't know the man's name. "Where's the guy? The guy that hit Lucy?" 

"He's, uh..." Officer Davidson stammered. "He's missing." 

"What do you mean...missing? What the hell happened?" 

"Carter, take it easy," Mark warned. He realized a small crowd was gathering around them, mostly ER staff. "Maybe we should take this into one of the rooms," he suggested. 

"No, we're fine out here," Carter snapped. "Now, what happened?" 

Officer Davidson began to explain the situation. The suspect, who's name was Nick Kerrigan, had his cut sutured by one of the residents. He had then been handcuffed and escorted outside. As they had neared the police car, Kerrigan had insisted he had to use the men's room before leaving. Officer Davidson had reluctantly led him back into the hospital to use the washroom. Of course, he had to uncuff the man to let him do his business. 

"That's when he attacked me with some kind of pipe," the officer continued. "There was a pile of them near the sinks. Some ongoing maintenance job, I guess. It was my fault. I really wasn't expecting it. He had been so docile until then, not putting up any kind of resistance. I let my guard down, and I shouldn't have. I'm sorry." 

Carter pursed his lips, nodding. "Great, you're sorry." He looked at the other officer accusingly. "And where were you during all this?" 

Officer Jones blushed, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He was a rookie...younger than his partner, maybe around Carter's age. "I...I waited to hear what Miss Knight's condition was. Then I went to that diner across the street, Doc something, for a cup of coffee. When I came out, I saw Adam's car still parked outside so I knew something was wrong. I went back into the hospital to look for him. It took a little while, but I found him on the floor of the washroom, unconscious. Kerrigan was gone." 

Carter felt like punching his fist through the wall in frustration. This was unbelievable! He struggled to remain calm. "So what happens now?" 

"We know his name. We know where he lives," Officer Davidson answered. "We've got a patrol car outside his apartment, as we speak. My guess is, he'll lie low for a while. But he's gotta show up sometime." He looked Carter directly in the eye. "We'll get him," he promised. 

Carter didn't trust himself to speak, feeling a sarcastic reply on the tip of his tongue. So, he remained silent. 

"All right, Officer Davidson, let's get that cut looked after," Mark said, helping him to his feet. "Lydia, could you please take him to the suture room?" 

Lydia led the officer away, while the other staff members still lingered around. They talked quietly amongst themselves, occasionally giving Carter sympathetic looks. He ignored all of them. Mark looked at him with concern. 

"How are you doing, Carter?" 

"Fine," he replied shortly. 

"You're off today, aren't you?" Carter simply nodded. "So why don't you go on home? Lucy's resting comfortably now." 

"Can't. Car battery's dead. And I assume the El is still down." He didn't add that he wouldn't have left anyway. He wanted to be here for Lucy. 

"Oh, that's right. Lydia told me about your car." Mark looked at the stubborn set of Carter's face and guessed correctly that he wasn't going anywhere. Well, considering what Lucy had done for Carter, he supposed he would do the same thing in Carter's position. "Why don't you catch some shut-eye in one of the exam rooms, then? I don't imagine it's too comfortable sleeping in one of those chairs in Lucy's room." The nurse on the third floor had told him that Carter had been dozing by Lucy's side. 

Carter didn't feel very sleepy...he was still too angry with the police. But he did feel dead tired. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea. He would just lie down for a little while. "Ok," he agreed. "But can someone come and get me in an hour? I want to check on Lucy later." 

"Sure. I'll let Jerry know." 

"What's open?" 

"Take your pick. And Carter..." Mark waited until Carter turned around and looked at him. "They'll find him." 

Carter entered the nearest exam room and collapsed on the bed with a sigh. Oh yeah, he was tired. He closed his eyes and was snoring within a minute. 

********** 

A dark figure stood, staring at the sleeping man. He had been just inside the doors, listening to the two doctors talking in the hallway. Then he had scurried back into the shadows when one of them had entered the room. Although it was dark, there was enough light pouring in through the small window of the door. 

He studied the snoring man's face. Yes, this was the one. He wanted to complete his mission now. He had failed earlier. Had failed miserably and injured an innocent girl. He had to see for himself that the girl was all right. The doctor had said he would check on her later. So he would have to wait. That was fine. He had waited this long. He could wait a little while longer. 

He retreated back into the shadows. 

********** 

"Dr. Carter?" 

"We shouldn't...Luce...mmm..." Carter murmured, hugging her closer to him, trailing kisses down her neck. 

"Dr. Carter?" Jerry watched in amusement as Carter hugged a pillow to his chest, burying his face in it. "CARTER!" 

"Huh? What?" Carter blinked sleepily and squinted his eyes against the light coming in through the open door. "What's wrong, Jerry?" 

"Nothing. Dr. Greene told me to wake you in an hour, but you wouldn't budge. I let you sleep a little longer, so it's close to 5:30 now." 

"Oh, right...thanks." 

"No problem." Jerry couldn't resist adding, "That must have been some dream you were having." 

"Shut up, Jerry." Carter could hear him laughing down the hallway. He sat up, running a hand through his already tousled hair. The lovely dream was beginning to recede now, and he couldn't quite remember what it had been about. 

Carter went back up to the third floor and stopped at the nurse's station. Cindy smiled to see him again. It was touching to see the concern this young doctor had for Miss Knight. 

"How is she?" Carter asked, holding back a yawn. 

"Fine. She seems to be sleeping well. Her temperature and pulse are normal." 

"Good. I'm going to look in on her for a minute. I won't be long." 

"Take your time." Cindy came around the desk. "I'm going to check on another patient." She proceeded down the other end of the hall. 

Carter walked down to Lucy's room and found she was indeed sleeping soundly. He saw her shift slightly under the covers, burrowing more deeply underneath. He thought she might be cold and pulled the blanket up higher. He went to the closet, where an extra blanket was usually stored. This one was empty, and he decided to check another closet in an unoccupied room. He made his way soundlessly down the hallway. Three doors down, he was able to find what he was looking for. He returned to Lucy's room and found a man standing over her. 

Alarm bells went off in his head and Carter stared at him through the open doorway. 

"Who are..." The man turned his head and Carter gasped in recognition. "Kerrigan!" 

"At your service." Kerrigan smiled. He looked back down at Lucy and his smile faded. "Will she be all right?" 

Carter's mind was a jumble of thoughts. He was tempted to tackle Kerrigan and yell for security. But he couldn't very well do that with Lucy lying there helplessly. What the hell was he doing here? He was supposed to have run away. Isn't that why he had struck Officer Davidson with the pipe? To flee and escape the drunk driving charges? Then why was he here, looking at Lucy with such concern and asking about her well being? 

Carter looked back down the hall, hoping to see someone who could get help. It was deserted. He flung the blanket he had brought for Lucy aside. 

"Will she be all right?" Kerrigan asked again. 

"Yeah, she's going to be fine," Carter said nervously, thinking that maybe he should take his chances and rush the guy. He hadn't thought twice about hauling him out of his car. But that was before he had discovered the guy was capable of attacking people with pipes. 

"That's good." Kerrigan sounded genuinely relieved. "I never realized it before," he said softly. "She looks so much like Katie. My sweet Katie." With a quick shake of his head, he seemed to return to reality. "It was an accident, you know. I never meant to hit her." 

So that was it? This was some sort of guilt trip? Carter decided to play along. "I know. It wasn't your fault. You just had a little too much to drink, that's all." 

"No, that's not it!" Kerrigan said impatiently. "*You* were supposed to die!" 

Carter's breath caught in his throat. He was completely stunned. "Me?" 

"Yes, you...the all mighty Dr. Carter! I was aiming for you!" Kerrigan turned to look at Carter with cold, hate filled eyes. 

Lucy stirred in her sleep, the loud voices waking her. Her eyes fluttered open. Kerrigan turned back to look down at her, mesmerized. "Katie?" he whispered. 

"All right, I've had enough of this!" Carter had no idea what Kerrigan was rambling about, but he was obviously disturbed. "Step away from Lucy." 

"John?" Lucy's voice sounded fearful. 

"It's ok, Luce," Carter said soothingly. He had come closer to the bed now, and grabbed Kerrigan's arms. But the young man was surprisingly strong and he twisted out of Carter's grasp. A knife suddenly appeared in one of his hands, the blade glinting even in the dim glow of the lamp. 

"Get back!" Kerrigan cried. 

Carter immediately backed away from him, holding both hands in the air. 

"Ok, man...take it easy." 

"What is going on in here?" Cindy came rushing into the room, and Carter got hold of her sleeve, stopping her. She raised a hand to her open mouth in horror, seeing the terrified girl in bed and the stranger with the knife. "Oh, God..." 

"Run...get security. Tell them it's Kerrigan," Carter said into Cindy's ear. She seemed rooted to the spot until Carter yanked at her sweater sleeve, hissing "Go!" 

Cindy turned on her heel and ran down the hall. Luckily, Kerrigan didn't even seem to notice. Beads of sweat were starting to form on his forehead and upper lip. He was staring down at the knife and seemed uncertain what to do next. 

"Hey, Kerrigan...Nick...why don't we go out into the hall?" Carter said quietly. He was desperate to get the man away from Lucy. "I'm the one you want, right?" 

"Yeah." Kerrigan nodded. "You're the one. You're the one that killed Katie." He pointed the knife towards Carter. "Close the door." 

"We don't have to do this here." Carter still hoped to lure Kerrigan away. "Come on, there's an empty room three doors down. We can..." 

"CLOSE THE DOOR!" Kerrigan roared. 

Carter did as he asked. Lucy trembled from shock and fear. From her vantage point on the bed, this man was looming over her. She thought she had been dreaming when she'd first looked up at him, only to find him confusing her with someone named Katie. Apparently Carter had killed this Katie. That seemed highly doubtful, but this man certainly believed it. Every time he looked at Carter, the hate burned through his eyes. And yet, when he had mistaken her for Katie, he had gazed down at her with such tenderness and love. He was delusional, perhaps psychotic. Lucy tried to recall something useful from her psychiatry textbooks but her mind was a blank. 

The room was silent. They simply waited to see what Kerrigan would do. Carter kept giving Lucy reassuring glances, hoping she wasn't too afraid. She had already been through so much over the night, and now this. 

"Turn the light on. It's too dark in here," Kerrigan ordered calmly. 

Carter obliged, flicking the wall switch so the overhead fluorescent lights came on. They all blinked rapidly in the sudden flood of brightness. 

Kerrigan pointed to a spot by the wall, fairly close to the door. "Sit down over there." 

Carter sat down cross legged on the floor. Well, there was certainly no hope in rushing Kerrigan now. He was too far away. 

"Who's Katie?" Lucy asked. 

*Be quiet, Lucy!* Carter thought, wishing she wouldn't call attention to herself. But Kerrigan didn't seem to mind the question. He sat down heavily in the chair next to Lucy. 

"She's my...was my wife. I loved her." 

"Yes, I can tell." 

Carter groaned inwardly. What was she doing? Did she think she could talk Kerrigan out of this? 

"I loved her," Kerrigan repeated, glaring at Carter. "And he killed her." 

"I don't know what you're talking about," Carter said, a little defensively. 

"Shut up! I'm not talking to you!" 

Carter decided that Lucy was doing better without his assistance. He leaned his head back against the wall, mentally zipping his mouth shut. 

********** 

Mark headed towards the admit desk, writing some notes on a patient's chart. Things had started picking up a bit in the ER, although they hadn't had a trauma come in for the past little while. 

"Dr. Greene..." 

"Yes, Jerry." He glanced up from the chart and found Jerry looking at him with a worried expression. "What is it?" 

"I just got a call from a nurse on three. There's some guy holding Carter and Lucy hostage in her room." 

"What! What guy?" 

"I think she said his name is Kerrigan. I dunno. Security is already up there." 

"Kerrigan..." Mark had heard that name before. It suddenly dawned on him. "That's the guy that hit Lucy." 

Jerry's eyes widened. "The one that got away from the cops?" 

"Yeah, I..." Mark was cut off as a highly distraught man burst through the double doors of the ambulance bay. 

"Help! Somebody help me! My wife...in the car..." 

Some nurses ran outside with him and Mark called out to Jerry as he turned away "Keep me informed on what's happening!" 

"Sure thing, Dr. Greene." 

********** 

Carter silently watched as Lucy and Kerrigan held their quiet little conversation. He had to admit that Lucy was handling herself very well. She appeared calm and genuinely seemed to care about what Kerrigan was saying. So far he had told them about how much he had loved his wife, and that's about it. He just kept babbling on. 

Carter still had trouble grasping the fact that Kerrigan had deliberately tried to run him down. Had seriously tried to kill him. And now he was here to do what? Finish off the job? 

"So how did Katie die?" Lucy asked cautiously. 

"He killed her!" Kerrigan glared at Carter again. Carter wisely didn't try to deny it this time. 

"I don't understand what you mean," Lucy said, baffled. 

Kerrigan heaved a tired sign. He explained that it was a year ago today, New Year's Day, that he and his wife had been in a car accident. He had only received minor injuries, but Katie had been badly hurt. He had been quite hysterical, and Dr. Carter had assured him that his wife would be just fine. Only she wasn't fine. She had died in the trauma room. 

"Then he came out and started saying how sorry he was. That Katie's injuries had been too severe. They had used all their capabilities," Kerrigan said with a sneer. "But she was dead. One minute alive, the next minute dead." 

Carter tried to remember the incident. A year ago? How many traumas had he seen since then? How many times had he given that same "I'm sorry" speech? The first time he had given it, he thought his heart was being ripped out of his chest. Now, although it was difficult, it had almost become...routine. No, that wasn't the right word. But it was simply part of his job and had become somewhat easier over time. 

There were some patients that tugged at his heartstrings more than others and he remembered them long after they were gone. But Katie Kerrigan wasn't one of them. He truly could not remember her, and he felt a pang of guilt. 

Kerrigan continued with his story, saying that he had been inconsolable after Katie's death. He had lost his job, lost his house. Had moved into a crappy little apartment. His rage had built up slowly, and several months ago he'd decided that Dr. Carter had to die. He wanted to wait until the anniversary of his wife's death. And tonight, he had found the perfect moment when Carter had been standing alone on the street. 

"I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you," Kerrigan said to Lucy. 

Lucy opened her mouth to speak but stopped when there was a knock on the door. 

"Hey, is everything all right in there?" a male voice asked. 

Carter guessed it was security. Or maybe the police, if they had already been called. "We're fine," he replied. 

"Kerrigan, do *not* hurt those people, whatever you do. Why don't you come on out so we can talk?" 

"Go away!" Kerrigan yelled, clearly getting agitated again. 

After a pause, the voice said "Just remember, we're right outside. Don't do anything you'll regret." 

Kerrigan stood and turned towards Carter, brandishing the knife. "It's time, Dr. Carter." 

Carter got to his feet slowly, his body tense and ready to fight. 

"Wait!" Lucy exclaimed, struggling to sit up on her elbows. "It's not Dr. Carter's fault! I was there...in the trauma room too." 

Carter narrowed his eyes at her. Now what was she up to? 

Kerrigan turned his attention back to Lucy. "I don't remember you being there." He looked confused. 

"No, you probably wouldn't remember. There are a lot of people in a trauma. But I was there," she said emphatically. "I know Dr. Carter did everything right. He did *everything* he could. Katie was hurt too badly. That's why she died. It's not his fault," she finished softly. 

Kerrigan pressed the fingers of one hand against his temples. He suddenly turned on Lucy, bringing the knife close to her throat. "You're lying!" he cried. 

Carter's heart jumped in fear and he started to rush forward. He stopped when he caught Lucy's eye and an almost imperceptible shake of her head. She was telling him to stay back. His instinct told him to tackle Kerrigan, but he chose to trust Lucy's judgment. For now. 

Lucy looked up at Kerrigan with an air of calmness, trying to ignore the knife. Although she was shaking on the inside, she prayed her voice wouldn't betray her. "I'm not lying. And in your heart, you know it's true. Dr. Carter's not to blame. Maybe God is, but not Dr. Carter." She hesitated. "You're not a violent man. You had to get drunk before you tried to hit him with your car." She was only guessing that was why he'd been drinking, but she hoped it was close to the truth. She decided to take a risk with her next words. "Think of Katie...Would she want you to do this?" 

Kerrigan hung his head, a sob catching in his throat. "No..." he whispered. 

Lucy slowly extended her hand. "Please, Nick...give me the knife." 

Kerrigan lowered his hand and placed the knife in her open palm. She immediately held it out of his reach, and Carter released the breath he had been holding. As Kerrigan broke down in tears, Carter opened the door and three police officers rushed in. They placed Kerrigan under arrest and he was led away, sobbing Katie's name. 

Lucy gave the knife to one of the officers, who claimed it was evidence. She buried her face in her hands. "Oh, God." Her shoulders started shaking. 

Carter sat down on the edge of the bed and held her tightly as she cried, rocking her gently back and forth. "It's ok," he said softly, rubbing her back and kissing her hair. "Let it out...you were so brave. You deserve to cry." He looked up at the officer who remained in the room, wanting to get a statement. "Could you give us a minute?" 

"Sure." He left the room to give them some privacy. 

Lucy wept for another minute, as Carter murmured soothing words in her ear. Her tears finally subsided, and she wiped at her eyes. Carter reached for some tissues on the table behind him and handed them to her. 

"Thanks. Sorry about that." Now that the adrenaline was fading from her system, Lucy could feel her aches and pains returning. She had almost forgotten about her injuries during the whole incident with Kerrigan. 

"Please, don't apologize," Carter said, brushing strands of hair back from her face. "Looks like you saved me again." 

Lucy grunted. "Hardly. I had no idea what I was doing. I'm just glad...he didn't hurt you." 

"Or you. God, Luce, when he had that knife at your throat, I..." His voice trailed off and he hugged her close again. Lucy felt a warm glow spreading through her body as she enjoyed his comforting arms around her. After a moment he drew back and looked down at her. "Seriously, though. You were great with him. I was so proud of you." 

"Really?" Lucy smiled up at him, her heart filled with joy at his words. 

"Really. Have you had your psych rotation yet?" 

"No, not yet. I think it's after my surgical rotation." She chuckled. "I probably won't be doing much surgery with this leg, though. Maybe I can do psych first." 

"Well, I think you'd be a great psychiatrist. You should consider it." Carter paused, deep in thought. Maybe this could work. "You know," he said slowly. "You're only in the ER for a few more weeks. Well, maybe longer depending how soon you can get back to work..." 

"Uh huh." Lucy wasn't sure what he was getting at. 

"So I thought...uh, maybe you and I could...I mean, when you're no longer my student..." 

"Dr. Carter, are you asking me out?" Lucy couldn't disguise the delight in her voice. 

"Yeah, I guess I am." Carter looked towards the door, relieved that no one was listening in on them. He turned back to Lucy and smiled at the obvious happiness in her face. 

"I thought this wasn't the right time," she teased. 

"It isn't. Not yet, anyway." He reached for her hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing it gently. "We just have to be patient," he said softly. "I think we could be good together." 

"Me too," Lucy whispered. She leaned forward, focusing in on Carter's mouth... 

A loud knock at the door made them both jump apart. "Excuse me. Can I get a statement from you two now?" the officer asked, trying not to smile as they looked at him with guilty expressions. 

Carter quickly got to his feet. "Yeah, sure." 

As the officer began to question her, Carter and Lucy exchanged glances, sharing a secret smile. 


End file.
